A Treatise of Knowledge and Love, Table of contents
THE CONTENTS.
The Firſt Part. 1 Cor. 8.2, 3.
CHap. 1. The Text opened: What Philoſophy Paul depreſſeth, and why.
Ch. 2. What Wiſdom and Eſteem of it are not here condemned.
Ch. 3. What Pretended Knowledge is condemned, and what Learning or Philoſophy it is which Paul diſliked further opened; with thirty Reaſons.
Ch. 4. What are the Certainties which muſt be known and held faſt, and why, where Certainty is diſtinctly deſcribed.
Ch. 5. Of the various Degrees of Certainty.
Ch. 6. What are the unknown things or Uncertainties, which we muſt not pretend a certain Knowledge of, even Scripture Truths?
Ch. 7. The firſt Inference: The True Reaſon and Uſefulneſs of the Chriſtian ſimplicity, in differencing the Covenant and the Principles of Religion from the reſt of the holy Scriptures.
Ch. 8. Infer. 2. Of the Uſe of Catechizing.
Ch. 9. Infer. 3. The true Preſervative of puzzled Chriſtians, from the Errours of falſe Teachers, who draw them to their ſeveral Parties.
Ch. 10. Infer. 4. What is the great Plague and Divider of the Chriſtian World.
Ch. 11. The common diſcoveries of Mens proud, ſelf-conceited underſtanding, and of pretended Knowledge.
Ch. 12. Of the miſchievous effects of this proud pretence of more Knowledge than men have.
Ch. 13. The Commodities of a ſuſpended Judgment and humble underſtanding, which pretendeth to no more Knowledge or Certainty than it hath.
Ch. 14. The Aggravations of the Sin of Prefidence.
Ch. 15. Special Aggravations of it in Students and Paſtors.
Ch. 16. Twenty clear proofs of the little Knowledge that is in the World, to move us to a due diſtruſt of our underſtandings.
Ch. 17. Infer. 5. It is not the diſhonour, but the praiſe of Chriſt and his Apoſtles, and the Goſpel, that they ſpeak in a plain ſtyle and manner, of the certain neceſſary things, without the Vanity of School Uncertainty, and unprofitable Notions.
Ch. 18. Infer. 6. The true and falſe ways of reſtoring the Churches, and healing our Diviſions, hence opened and made plain.
Ch. 19. Of the cauſes of Prefidence or proud pretended Knowledge, in order to the Cure.
Ch. 20. Objections Anſwered.
Ch. 21. Directions for the Cure.
The Second Part.
CHap. 1. Knowledge is a means to a higher End, according to which it is to be eſtimated.
Ch. 2. The End of Knowledge is to make us Lovers of God, and ſo to be known of him.
Ch. 3. Therefore Knowledge is to be ſought, valued and uſed as it tendeth to our Love of God.
Ch. 4. Therefore they are the wiſeſt and beſt knowing Men that Love God beſt; and not they that have much unholy Knowledge.
Ch. 5. The firſt Inference: By what meaſures to eſtimate Knowledge.
Ch. 6. The ſecond Inference: To abate our cenſures and contempt of the leſs-learned Chriſtians and Churches.
Ch. 7. The third Inference: How to judge of the Knowledge neceſſary to Church Communion.
Ch. 8. The fourth Inference: The aptneſs of the Teaching of Chriſt, to ingenerate the Love of God and Holineſs.
Ch. 9. The fifth Inference: What great cauſe of thankfulneſs men have for the Conſtitution of the Chriſtian Religion: And how unexcuſable they are that will not learn ſo ſhort and ſweet, and ſafe a Leſſon.
Ch. 10. The ſixth Inference: How little reaſon ungodly men have to be proud of their Learning, or any of their Knowledge.
Ch. 11. The ſeventh Inference: Why the ungodly World hateth Holineſs, and not Knowledge.
Ch. 12. The eighth Inference: What is the work of a faithful Preacher, and how it is to be done.
Ch. 13. The ninth Inference: Thoſe that know God ſo far as to Love him truely, may have comfort, notwithſtanding their remaining ignorance.
Ch. 14. Queſtions and Objections Anſwered.
Qu. 1. If ſo much Knowledge will ſave Men as cauſeth them To Love God, may not Heathens be ſaved who know God to be good, and therefore may Love him?
Qu. 2. May not a Papiſt or Heretick Love God and be ſaved?
Qu. 3. At leaſt you make Ignorant Perſons happy that can but Love God, though they know not their Catechiſm?
Qu. 4. How are Infants ſaved that have neither Knowledge nor Love?
Qu. 5. If this hold true, Univerſities, and moſt humane Learning ſhould be caſt out as the Turks and Moſcovites do; and the Armenians, Abaſſines, Greeks, and Ignorant ſort of Papiſts, are the wiſeſt: Becauſe multitudes of other Notions muſt needs divert mens thoughts from God.
Ch. 15. Uſe, Exhort. I. Deceive not your ſelves by over-valuing an unholy ſort of Knowledge, or common Gifts.
Ch. 16. Exhort. II. Love beſt thoſe Chriſtians that Love God beſt, and live in Love and Peace with others.
Ch. 17. Exhort. III▪ Pretend not your Knowledge againſt the Love of God or Man, or againſt the Intereſt of the Church and Souls.
Ch. 18. Exhort. IV. Bend all your Studies to a life of Increaſed and Exerciſed Love. How the Love of God muſt be Exerciſed and Increaſed: The benefit hereof.
Ch. 19. Exhort. V. Place your Comfort in Health and Sickneſs in Mutual Divine Love. 1. See that you Love God. How known. Doubts Anſwered.
Ch. 20.2. But let it be the chief part of your Comfort that you are known of God. What comfort this affordeth. What frame of Soul it beſpeaketh in us in Life, and at our Death.
PART I.
1 Cor. 8.2, 3.
And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man Love God, the ſame is known of Him.